【正文】 nent planter of the trees of arbitration in China, we name this project The Professor Tang Houzhi Program To earn the seal of this program, each translation of a CISG award must be processed through three iterations: The translator‘s text。 Catherine X. Pan, ―Planning for Commercial Dispute Resolution in Mainland China‖, 16 American Review of International Arbitration (2021) 140141 for a listing of special advantages of arbitration over litigation in mercial disputes between Chinese panies and foreign parties. 2 Fiona D‘Souza, ―The Recognition and Enforcement of Commercial Arbitral Awards in the People‘s Republic of China‖, 30 Fordham International Law Journal (2021) 1319. 3 ―Prior to the postMao economic reforms, little arbitration took place in China. … The beginnings of modern Chinese arbitration can be traced to 1912, immediately after the end of the Qing dynasty. However most of the modern system developed after 1978. Prior to that time, Ch ina conducted little foreign trade, and international arbitration was neither necessary nor important to the economy or politics of China.‖ Benjamin O. Kostrzewa, ―China International Economic Trade Arbitration Commission in 2021: New Rules, Same Results?‖, 15 Pacific Rim Law amp。 Germany and the ICC (four cases each)。 Mark R. Shulman, 2021. Dr. Shulman acknowledges the valuable advice from Professor Jerome Cohen, Professor Albert Kritzer and Ms. Gracie Ming Zhao in preparing this paper. 1980 年《聯(lián)合國國際貨物銷售合同公約》（ CISG）在成員國的適用與解釋 國際研討會論文集 2 availability of arbitral awards applying the CISG. Apparently, it is enabling panies in China to meet the needs of their nonChinese counterparties. The China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (CIETAC) is the source of this data. No other arbitral institute in the world has made freely and openly available to the world trade munity a parable volume of awards on uniform international sales law. CIETAC has released to us the texts of hundreds of arbitral decisions on the CISG. We are meticulously translating them into English. Approximately a third of these cases involve . firms trading with China. Admittedly, we cannot look into the hearts of the arbitrators, and we do not know how these particular opinions were selected for release. But we can examine the text of their opinions. They provide real cause for optimism. They appear to be balanced opinions with arbitrators ruling on awards in what appears to be a fair and impartial manner. To date, we have translated over 240 of the awards. You can see them for yourself at and learn the countries and products involved, the amounts of money sought and awarded, and to read the awards themselves. Judge for yourself the degree to which these proceedings adhere to fundamental principles of the rule of law. In the meantime, we will be translating more cases to share a larger and more meaningful sampling of the manner in which international sales disputes are being resolved in China. This weekend, I am immensely proud to note that Pace is teaming up with the prestigious Wuhan University and the UN Commission on International Trade Law for this conference on the CISG to celebrate this insight into adherence to the rule of law in business transactions with China. Leading arbitrators and academics from around the world are examining the manner in which international sales law is being applied in China. The People‘s Republic contains approximately a fifth of the world‘s population. Last year it became the largest exporter. And its economy continues to grow at approximately 10 percent each year. Because it is a peer petitor on many fronts, China‘s course along the rule of law path is of vital interest to Americans and Europeans. We must, therefore, take note of its development of viable institutions for resolving trade disputes effectively and peaceably. The choice of lawyers and scholars to e to Wuhan actually contributes to the progress of the rule of law in China. By our presence, we acknowledge and seek to clarify a critical element in China‘s rule of law. The global economy is a marketplace of ideas, aspirations, and services but predominantly of goods. If this is true, then traders play the dominant role in shaping the reality of globalization. Ironically, however, the practices of traders have traditionally received less careful examination by scholars than those of political leaders who serve them. The relationships between traders, lawyers and the rule of law are plex. Rather than drawing firm conclusions, I can only make a few observations about this plex interrelationship and some of the trends I see. What are the elements of the rule of law that an orderly trade regime could hope to bolster? ? A transparent set of laws that is knowable and that can change in an orderly way in response to the changing needs of society. The CISG certainly provides this element – at least where and as applicable. TRADERS, LAWYERS AND THE RULE OF LAW 3 ? The right to hold real and moveable property subject to taxes and regulatory takings. The CISG facilitates the movement of property and its sales. ? The right to equal treatment (regardless of status) and due process before the law. Opinions such as those in the Steel Flanges cases provide evidence of equal treatment with its thoughtful and detailed analysis of the claims between Chinese and a US parties. ? An impartial, transparent, efficient system of adjudication. From what we can tell about the CIETAC tribunals, there is a great deal of impartiality. New York University Professor Jerome Cohen and others have argued about the transparency, but with CIETAC‘s continuing work to release decisions, and the Tang Houhzi translation program (that my esteemed colleague Professor Albert Kritzer will de